Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Ambassador Halit Cevik said that diaspora and lobbies have an important role in the Armenian issue. Stressing that Armenian issue is a long term challenge, Cevik said that Turkey should continue its efforts without crestfallenness.
Giving a lecture about Turkish foreign policy at Afyon Kocatepe University, Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Halit Cevik stated that adoption of so called Armenian genocide resolution in the Foreign Affairs Committee of U.S. House of Representatives caused disappointment and reaction. Stating that such developments should not prevent Turkey's efforts for normalization of relations and creation of a new atmoshphere between Turkey and Armenia, Cevik said, "We will continue efforts on this issue. Lobbies in United States are very strong and they play crucial role in the process. We have similar efforts too. But when our influence is compared with the influence of those lobbies, there is much difference. Our country's efforts related to Armenian issue dates back to 1974. But Armenian diaspora and Armenian lobbies are holding efforts since the begining of the last century. They formed a certain opinion in the international arena. We are and will fight to change this false opinion. Historical researches in the international area should be increased. We should keep in touch with parliamentarians, academicians and politicians."
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